At the April 22 event honoring Mark Humayun are, from left: Viterbi School Dean Yannis C. Yortsos, USC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Garrett, Humayun and Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito. Photo/Steve Cohn

By Josh Grossberg

University officials recently honored Mark Humayun, a professor with joint appointments at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, for his groundbreaking work in a retinal prosthesis that was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Joining the April 22 celebration for Humayun were Keck School Dean Carmen A. Puliafito, Viterbi School Dean Yannis C. Yortsos and USC Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Elizabeth Garrett.

Humayun, the Cornelius J. Pings Chair in Biomedical Sciences and professor of ophthalmology, biomedical engineering, cell and neurobiology, was the principal member of a team that developed the Argus II—an implant that can restore sight to some people blinded by retinitis pigmentosa.

Puliafito called Humayun’s 25-year effort “audacious” and said few thought such a device would be possible. … Read More »